Great Firewind
Hailing originally from a province in the mountains of Kun-Lai Summit known as “Huofeng Province”, the Great Firewind Dynasty is a provincial government of Pandaren based predominantly in Kun-Lai Summit that have lived historically in isolation due to their distant location from other settlements within Pandaria. The Great Firewind Dynasty has started to join the Grand Alliance since the devastation inflicted on the Vale by Garrosh. They have recently begun to expand their influence and control to be outside of their traditional homeland of Huofeng Province, most noticeably the establishment of a sea port named Fogong Harbor in Zouchin Province. The Dynasty is traditionally ruled by the Firelord. History Historically, Huofeng Province has existed in a realm of isolation from the rest of Pandaria. Originally planned as a mogu construction for which the mogu to store their secrets and weaponry, the mogu brought five enslaved families of pandaren to the area to begin work on this project. However during mid-construction the Pandaren Uprising began and the pandaren builders revolted and took control of the great Mogu vault, turning it into a livable palace and soon converting their family slave camps into towns. Conditions were brutal in the cold weather, and the workers, no longer provided with their mogu masters foods, had to seek other ways to sustain themselves. The land being cold and mountainous, farming was impossible. Faced with either death and unable to leave the horrid conditions, the early pandaren of Huofeng prayed. A miracle then happened as the Stonesummit Clan was able to commune with the pandaren fire spirits. Soon after, the Firewind Clan met and communed with the fiery son of Xuen, Chongli. Chongli and the pandaren fire spirits in exchange for their devotion and respect to the ways of fire gave the five major clans of Huofeng each a sacred fire. These sacred fires soon ignited the five large eternal pyres in Huofeng, which turned Huofeng Province from barren wasteland into a cool summery paradise. As well, Chongli bestowed upon the head of the Firewind Clan, Zhenren Firewind, the title of Firelord, to continue to teach his lessons and ways so that he would not have to. This title soon became passed down from parent to child. The pandaren fire spirits meanwhile continued to commune with the Stonesummits, forming the first early priesthood of Firespeakers. The Province saw the rise of the Firewind Clan to take control of the Province in full. As time passed, the Pandaren Empire reformed from its earlier primative government and moved away from feudalism into a meritocracy based around the bureaucracy, stripping the clans of their titles to make way for magistrates and provincial governors. Due to strong ties between Firelord Yulin and the Thunderpaw Dynasty Emperor, the Firelord remained in power as an inherited title over Huofeng Province, while the other four clans saw their power dwindle as their lands became controlled by magistrates. The title and power of the Firelord is an unusual relic of the old feudal system of the early days of the Pandaren Empire that still remains to this day. The province was broken into five administrative divisions, each run by their own respective magistrate under the Central Magistrate of the Capitol Division. During the time of the Pandaren Empire, Huofeng Province grew in prosperity from its wealth of natural resources of food and metals, porcelain, weaponry, and liquor. After the Great Sundering when the Pandaren Empire dissolved, Huofeng Province began to become more and more isolated and autonomous with no Emperor to watch their affairs.The hereditary title of Firelord was passed down through the eldest child unless the eldest child was dishonored, in which it would pass to the second eldest, and so on. Huofeng Province lived in relative peace and harmony during this time, and developed its own distinct dialect of pandaren language due to relative isolation. The last Firelord before the Mists parted, Firelord Taizong, saw the chaos that the Pandaren Campaign between the Horde and Alliance brought. The Sha of Anger, having been awoken from the conflict, took possession of Firelord Taizong which lead to a bloody conflict amongst the pandaren until the Shado-Pan subdued Taizong under the orders of Yulan Firewind . Now Firelord Yulan, the eldest daughter of Firelord Taizong, was dishonorably discharged from the Shado-Pan and coronated as Firelord of Huofeng Province. Having faced large scale death tolls from the Sha of Anger, Yulan sought allies and new citizens to help rebuild her ravaged homeland. She journeyed to Stormwind to begin enlisting pandaren and granting them citizenship so the province could be quickly rebuilt. Yulan during this time grew more and more fond of the Alliance races, although never created a formal Alliance with their leaders. The Sha threat however was not over, and during the rebuilding of her home a sha-infested yaungol warlord had advanced upon her province, burning and ravaging the country side with their empowerment by the sha. Ultimately Huofeng proved victorious, and routed the invaders. Having become more courageous in her moves after the rebuilding of her province, Yulan sent several detachments of the Firewind Guard to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms to keep an eye on the tenuous political situation that was growing. During the destruction of the Vale and the supposed loss of her younger brother, Yulan closed the gates of Huofeng Province and isolated her home once more. After several months of isolation, Yulan by the request of her own family reopened the gates and returned to Stormwind. Seeking retribution for the war crimes of the Horde, Yulan now sought allies in the Alliance and began to formalize proper ties with the Grand Alliance. Of late, the dynasty has begun to expand its influence outside of the ancestral province, with the construction of the sea port of Fogong Harbor off the Zouchin Strand in Zouchin Province. The current Firelord as well is attempting to create formal ties with the Gal-Salkhi tribe of yaungol, who had declared the fourth invasion of Huofeng. The yaungol had slain Firelord Yulan, with Firelord Yuluan now replacing her. Clan Structure Over the past thousands of years, the driving force of the province has become the merit-based clan structure of the five major clans. The most powerful clan, known as the "Firewind Clan", offers different opportunities for ambitious pandaren. Although the title of Firelord is hereditary through the Firelord Royal Family, “climbing the ladder” is possible for anyone not of blood descent so long as they prove commendable, becoming an “Honorary Firewind Clansmen" for their service or successful examinations, and allow entry into major facets of the government of the Dynasty. The Firewalkers The monks of Huofeng province practice a discipline known as Firewalking, which uses the bonds with a pandaren fire spirit to ignite their chi without the need of alcohol. The order is headed by the Firelord and has begun to train non-pandaren monks amongst their ranks. The current Master of the Firewalkers is Piroh Firewind. The Firespeakers The Firespeakers of Huofeng Province are the shamans and "fire priests" of the province that help in ancestor veneration and fire spirit veneration. Their connection with the fire spirits and ancestors help to guide and shape the direction Huofeng takes to remain prosperous. The Firespeakers are traditionally dominated by the Stonesummit Clan. The current Head Firespeaker is Mozi Stonesummit. Firewind Scholars' Society Having been isolated for thousands of years from The Lorewalkers, the pandaren of Huofeng Province developed their own branch, known as the Firewind Scholars' Society. These Scholars both study the arcane magic of fire as well as the history and lore of Huofeng Province. The Head Scholar position is currently held by Jingming Firewind. Firewind Civil Service Making up the backbone of the Firewind government, the civil service is currently broken down into five magistrate positions running five divisions of the province, the premier magistrate being the Central Magistrate. Each magistrate traditionally has been held by the prominent clan of each division, however this is not always true. Under each magistrate, several local officials serve them as civil servants. The Central Magistrate position is currently held by Jingqiao Firewind. The Lotus Group A criminal organization that has deep roots into the foundation of the Huofeng Province, and began simply as a unified merchant organization. Only after Shaohao's death did the recognized group dissolve into what it is now. In order to function properly with the then Firelord's decree of following suit and closing the gates to their home, they had to expand their wares elsewhere and were illegally trafficking merchandise in and out of the mountain province. Multiple periods of isolation have caused the Lotus Group to expand and thrive. The former, peaceful merchant society dabbles in now near every single type of wares and continues to grow inside and outside of Pandaria with its current leader Tsukimi Miki. Firewind Guard The military and guard component of Huofeng Provincial life, the Firewind Guard serves as the military might as protection of Huofeng Province. The guard has grown greatly in recent years due to the rising number of threats that face the pandaren. The Guard is currently headed by General Zei-Tou Tidefang, with several Captains underneath him in command. Firewind Court Sentinels These pandaren make up the highest ranks of Firewind's internal police. These pandaren are tasked with keeping the peace in Huofeng, as well as investigating issues and internal disturbances. Their main focus is to contain the Lotus Group's influence and protect the citizens, as well as keep the ideals of Huofeng harmonious. They are headed by the Firelord herself. Lion Guard With the realization that Huofeng could not merely use its own men and women to properly exact the Firelord's will, Firelord Yulan began to commission the "Lion Guard" under General Zeitou Tidefang. Asking for him to search for volunteers willing to fight under the banner of the Alliance and through Firewind's control, the Lion Guard is the most recent wing of Great Firewind, a great disruption in the old harmony of the military being exclusively composed of the Firewind Guard and the local Firewalker monks. All races and classes are accepted in the volunteer company. Pandaren are encouraged to instead enlist with the Firewind Guard and be granted citizenship within the province. The Lion Guard ultimately serves as a mercenary company masquerading as a volunteer force. The current Captain of the Lion Guard is Dame Katheryn the Lioness. Documents *Firewind Declaration Category:Firewind Clan Category:Alliance Guilds Category:Organizations Category:Pandaren Clans Category:Alliance Pandaren Guilds Category:Pandaren Organizations Category:Great Firewind